How much time do we need to allow to change flights, and airlines, at Rome's Leondardo da Vinci airport?

My husband and I are scheduled to fly into Rome from New York at 7:20 am on Al Italia, and then we are connecting on to Catania on Meridiana. Our options to Catania are a flight that leaves at 8:30 am or one that leaves at 12:50. We'd like to get to Catania as early as possible, but we'll be changing airlines and aren't sure how close to cut the connection time.

What do you think? Could we make the earlier flight?

Thank you!

I generally tend toward caution and would book the later flight to Catania, particularly if you have checked baggage which can't be checked through. Actually, even with no checked luggage, am not sure I would risk it with no assurance Meridiana would take me on the later flight.

You won't make the earlier flight if Alitalia arrives late from NYC.

Take note that your "Meridiana" flight is actually Windjet.

Is there a chance that you could book Alitalia/Air One or Blu-Express, if the schedules are better?

www.volawindjet.it
www.blu-express.com
www.alitalia.it

Thank you so much for the reality check. Unfortunately, the other airlines have less desirable flights in terms of cost (2x!) or times.

We'll play it safe, though. Any recommendations on what do to with spare time at the airport? : )

You'll be transferring from the satellite terminal for intercontinental flights (Terminal "C", I believe), to the domestic terminal/annex for Windjet flights (Terminal "AA", I believe). There are quite a few shops to visit along the way, and there should be a very nice wine bar in Terminal "A". You might also want to have an early lunch in one of the many eateries before taking the flight to Catania.

You can also practice your skills at identifying all the various foreign (and domestic) airlines which land in Rome by trying to ferret out the logos and color schemes on the aircraft from the observation windows.

http://www.rome-airport.info/airport-facilities.html


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome_Fiumicino_airport


http://www.romeairportshoppingallery...map&Terminal=A


http://www.adr.it/portal/portal/adr/...indow?action=2

A word of caution I arrived last Friday, September 18 early in the morning around 7:30 AM to Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci in American from New York. I could not believe my eyes, there were no lines in front of the Passport Checking booths, There was a human mass, huge, it took me a long time to approach the booths.....a lot of time was wasted there. So consider that it might happen to anyone,....it is an annoying situation. The truth is that the rest of our stay was so very nice that I had forgotten about it...

What Graziella describes is fairly normal at that time of the morning, when a large number of inbound flights from North America arrive at FCO.

Jen: here is your plane:


http://static.planespotters.net/medi...Net_039616.jpg

Thank you so much for the advice -- much better to enjoy the sites at the airport than worry about mising our flight.

And thank you for the flight preview!